Should she offer a sacrifice (udhiyah) or offer ‘aqeeqah for herself, as her father did not offer ‘aqeeqah on her behalf?

Question

A 39 years old woman wants to sacrifice an animal. It was said to her that she should make ‘Aqeeqah (the sacrifice which has to be done after the birth of a son) for herself first as her father did not do it for her when she was born. Her husband did not do ‘Aqeeqah for their children either. They have a daughter and a son. Should she make ‘Aqeeqah for her children and herself? Or as for the children it should be done by their father? She has a 15 years old daughter and a 16 years old son. Is ‘Aqeeqah compulsory or it becomes cancelled if the child reaches adulthood?.

‘Aqeeqah is a
confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) according to the correct view. This has
been explained in the answer to question no.
20018. The one who is
addressed here is the father; it is not required of the mother or the
children.

The duty to
offer ‘aqeeqah is not waived when the child reaches puberty. If the father
is able then it is mustahabb for him to offer ‘aqeeqah on behalf of his
children for whom he did not yet offer ‘aqeeqah.

If the father
did not offer ‘aqeeqah for his child, is it prescribed for the child or
anyone else to offer ‘aqeeqah on his behalf? The fuqaha’ differed concerning
that, but the correct view is that this is prescribed and is mustahabb.

Ibn Qudaamah
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (9/364): If ‘aqeeqah
was not offered at all and the child reaches puberty and earns a living,
then he does not have to offer ‘aqeeqah. Ahmad was asked about this matter
and he said: That applies to the father, i.e., he should not offer ‘aqeeqah
for himself; the Sunnah has to do with someone else (namely the father).

‘Ata’ and
al-Hasan said: he may offer ‘aqeeqah for himself, because it is prescribed
for him and because he is held in pledge for it, so it should be prescribed
for him to release himself.

And we think
that it is prescribed for the father and no one else should do it. End
quote.

Ibn al-Qayyim
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Tuhfat al-Mawdood fi Ahkaam
al-Mawlood: Chapter nineteen: The ruling on one whose parents did not do
‘aqeeqah for him; should he offer ‘aqeeqah for himself when he reaches
puberty? Al-Khallaal said: Chapter on what is recommended for one for whom
‘aqeeqah was not done when he was small and he may offer ‘aqeeqah for
himself when he is an adult. Then he quoted some of the discussion of
Ismaa’eel narrated from Sa’eed al-Shaalinji who said: I asked Ahmad about a
man whose father told him that he had not offered ‘aqeeqah for him, could he
offer ‘aqeeqah for himself? He said: That is the duty of the father.

Al-Maymooni
said: I said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah: If ‘aqeeqah was not done for a person,
could it be done for him when he is an adult? He mentioned something that
was narrated concerning (‘aqeeqah for) an adult, but he classed it as da’eef
(weak). But he regarded it as something good, if ‘aqeeqah was not done for
him when he was small, for it to be done for him when he is an adult. He
said: If a person does that, I would not disapprove of it. He said: ‘Abd
al-Malik told me elsewhere that he said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah: Should ‘aqeeqah
be offered for him when he is an adult? He said: I did not hear anything
about an adult. I said: His father was poor then he became well off and he
does not want to leave his son without offering ‘aqeeqah for him. He said: I
do not know and I did not hear anything with regard to an adult. Then he
said to me: But if someone who does it, that is good, and there are some
people who regard it as obligatory. End quote.

The first view
is more correct, which is that it is mustahabb to offer ‘aqeeqah on behalf
of oneself, because ‘aqeeqah is a confirmed Sunnah but the father omitted to
do it, so it is prescribed for him to do it if he is able. That is because
of the general meaning of the ahaadeeth, such as the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Every child is in pledge
for his ‘aqeeqah which should be sacrificed for him on the seventh day, and
his head should be shaved and he should be given a name.” Narrated by Imam
Ahmad and the authors of al-Sunan from Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allaah
be pleased with him) with a saheeh isnaad. And Umm Karaz al-Ka’biyyah
narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined that ‘aqeeqah be done for a boy with two sheep and for a female
with one sheep, as was narrated by the five. Al-Tirmidhi narrated and
classed as saheeh a similar report from ‘Aa’ishah. This is not addressed
only to the father; rather it also includes the child, the mother and other
relatives of the newborn. End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
Baaz (26/266).

Based on this,
it may be said to the sister who is asking this question: You may offer
‘aqeeqah on behalf of yourself, or on behalf of your children if their
father did not offer ‘aqeeqah on their behalf.

Secondly:

Udhiyah is a
confirmed Sunnah and is prescribed for both men and women. One udhiyah is
sufficient on behalf of a man and the members of his household, or on behalf
of a woman and the members of her household.

This woman may
offer a sacrifice, whether her husband also offers a sacrifice or not.

If she offers
a sacrifice, that will suffice for her ‘aqeeqah too.

Ibn al-Qayyim
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Chapter eighteen on the ruling on
combining ‘aqeeqah and udhiyah.

Al-Khallaal
said: Chapter on what was narrated about the udhiyah sufficing for the
‘aqeeqah too.

‘Abd al-Malik
al-Maymooni told us that he said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah (i.e., Imam Ahmad): Is
it permissible to offer the udhiyah on behalf of a child instead of the
‘aqeeqah? He said: I do not know. Then he said: More than one said that. I
said: From among the Taabi’een? He said: Yes.

And ‘Abd
al-Malik told me elsewhere that Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said that some of them said
that if he offers an udhiyah that will suffice for the ‘aqeeqah too.

‘Usmah ibn
‘Isaam told us: Hambal narrated to us that Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said: I hope that
the udhiyah will suffice for the ‘aqeeqah too, in sha Allaah, for the one
who did not offer ‘aqeeqah.

‘Usmah ibn
‘Isaam told us elsewhere: Hanbal told us that Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said: If a
sacrifice (udhiyah) is offered on his behalf, the udhiyah will suffice for
the ‘aqeeqah. He said: And I saw Abu ‘Abd-Allaah buying an udhiyah that he
sacrificed on behalf of himself and his family, and his son ‘Abd-Allaah was
small when he sacrificed it. I think he intended thereby to do the ‘aqeeqah
and the udhiyah, and he shared out the meat and ate some of it. End quote
from Tuhfat al-Mawdood.